The Story of Alexandra Fowl
by Been.There.And.Back
Summary: Alexandra said nothing, but her mouth formed a alarmed 'O' that betrayed her shock. "Sister…" she said finally, "I'm a big sister?" The glee in her words was obvious. Artemis nodded. "She looks just like you! Pretty as a rose…"


The day Alexandra Fowl was born was possibly the rainiest spring day Ireland has ever seen. As droplets fell like sheets onto every available surface of the Manor and its grounds, soon-to-be-father Artemis Fowl was sitting quietly by Holly's bed with his heart beating in his throat as his wife pushed and groaned and called out his name. He held her hand, caressing it when he could manage.

Acting as Holly's midwife, Juliet was at the other end, encouraging, prodding, and ready to catch the baby. Which, she did. The first broken cry made Artemis' heart nearly exit through his mouth. Juliet held the squirming baby in her arms and beamed up at Artemis and Holly. "It's a girl…" she exclaimed, her face flushed with joy.

The small, so small, infant had soft porcelain skin and inky raven hair that curled around her tiny pointed ears. She screamed for a while as Juliet wrapped and swaddled her in a deep purple blanket, but settled down once she entered her father's arms. Artemis held the child to his chest and felt how warm and soft she was, her cheek settling against his collar bone and her eyes squeezed shut, nose scrunched.

Holly, who up until that point had been panting and gasping, plastered to the pillow with sweat, sat up slightly as Artemis squatted down beside her and introduced her to the new member of the Fowl family. Holly took her baby and touched her forehead and cheeks. "Alexandra Maria-Rose…" she whispered.

Artemis could see Holly was nodding of, exhausted from child birth. Artemis kissed her forehead and whispered to her as she fell asleep of how wonderful this new Fowl heir would be, and how much she would accomplish. Holly slept with Alexandra pressed close to her heart, and dreamt of the future.

As time passed and Alexandra grew, everything around her became of interest. At the age of 1 she would get Artemis to carry her around in the gardens, naming everything she pointed at, showing her the animals, the insects and the flowers. Artemis seemed to be her exploration partner and Holly her security blanket. Artemis would pick her up and throw her around, waltz around the manor with her, chase her in the gardens. Holly would sleep with her when she had nightmares, kiss her when she got hurt and hold her when she cried. She was the center of the house hold; everything worked like clockwork around her for a few years, until…

Holly's stomach began to swell. It got bigger and bigger until Alexandra had to know, what was happening to mommy. Artemis took her out into the gardens and tried to explain it the best he could to a 5 year old, "Mommy has a baby growing inside of her, Zandra…" he said, taking her hand.

Alexandra scrunched up her nose, "Growing?" she said, "Like a flower?"

Artemis smiled and nodded, "Yes, like a flower…"

Alexandra grinned; she quiet liked this idea of Holly having a flower growing in her. "What kind of flower?" she asked.

Artemis shrugged, "We'll find out soon enough…"

Alexandra motioned for Artemis to pick her up; a gesture he knew well; and he did. Alexandra wrapped her arms around his neck and looked into his eyes. "Did I grow in mommy's stomach like a flower?" she asked.

Artemis nodded, "Oh yes, all baby's do…"

"What kind of flower am I?"

Artemis thought, "You're a 'Zandra', the rarest, sweetest flower there is…"

Months passed and one day, Uncle Beckett came and took Alexandra to the summer home, to play with her cousin's Averil, Desoree and Denison. Averil and Desoree were older than her, but Denison was younger. Averil had been mute from birth, but was very, very smart and artistic. Desoree was chronically shy, and Denison was… he was just Denison. The day passed quickly and Alexandra was sad to leave; she missed the company of those her own age.

Uncle Beckett walked her up the steps to Fowl Manor and Artemis met them at the doors. As Alexandra was ushered in, Artemis and Beckett had a hushed conversation. Alexandra only picked up on a few sentences, "How did it go?" Uncle Beckett had asked.

"Well…" Artemis nodded. Alexandra noticed her father's face was flushed and he was smiling a lot more than he usually did.

"Any problems?" Uncle Beckett enquired. Artemis shook his head. After that Alexandra stopped listening. Soon, Beckett reached down to give her a good bye hug. When Artemis closed the door behind him, he lifted Alexandra up and began to carry her up the stairs.

"Ready to see your baby sister?" Artemis asked quietly.

Alexandra looked at him in surprise. "What?" she asked.

Artemis grinned, "Your baby sister was born!" he exclaimed.

Alexandra said nothing, but her mouth formed a alarmed 'O' that betrayed her shock. "Sister…" she said finally, "I'm a big sister?" The glee in her words was obvious.

Artemis nodded. "She looks just like you! Pretty as a rose…" he kissed his daughters forehead. By this time Alexandra was bouncing up and down in his arms, excited and happy.

Artemis carried her down the hallway as Alexandra babbled away with a cheeky smile on her face. They went into Artemis and Holly's quarters and the first thing Alexandra saw was Holly laying on the bed with a little bundle of cloth pressed against her chest. Holly smiled at her and motioned for them to come over. Artemis had to let Alexandra down because she was squirming too much and she scampered over to Holly and climbed up onto the bed with her. Holly looked tired, so, so tired, but she was proud to show her daughter the new baby girl.

Holly propped herself up and Alexandra got in closer. She leaned over the bundle in Holly's arms and could see a little pale face, raven hair and pointed ears. The baby was calm and had miss matched eyes like her own, wider and more alive than any eyes she had ever seen. She smiled warmly and touched her slim fingers to the baby girl's chubby porcelain cheek.

"You were right Daddy," she looked over at Artemis who had taken up the other side of Holly, "she is a flower… a pretty white rose… what's her name?"

Artemis squeezed Holly's hand, "Cassandra Blaine… Casey for short." He said proudly.

Alexandra held Casey for a while until the baby cried out for her mother.

"Little rose…" Alexandra murmured as Artemis carried her to bed, "our very own little rose…" and she fell asleep and dreamed of playing with Casey in the gardens.

Time passed and Casey Fowl grew and learned to play and love nature as Alexandra showed her. Alexandra savoured every day, when she would be there to teach her little rose everything she knew. That's why she was even happier to find out that Holly had yet another "flower" growing inside of her. She was excited to tell Casey about the flower, and explain to her how everything works, just as Artemis had done for her.

Quin Amadeus Fowl was born and Alexandra had the pleasure of watching her wide eyed little sister inspect the new member of the household. Quin had pale skin like her and her sister, but auburn hair like Holly. Mismatched eyes seemed to be a trend in this family.

Shortly after Quin was born, Artemis pulled Alexandra, who was now 8, and Casey, who was now 3, aside and explained to them that two other children, who they were not aware of, were going to be staying at the manor.

"Mommy's baby's?" Casey piped up as she played with her pigtails which Alexandra had help her with that morning.

"Not really," said Artemis, "they are Mommy's sister's kids, your cousins. The oldest is just a year younger than you, Zandra, and the youngest is around your age Casey…"

"Why are they staying with us?" Asked Alexandra, "Don't they have to live with their mommy and daddy?"

Artemis looked hesitant to discuss this topic. "They don't live in a home like we do… their daddy left when they were very small and-"

"Their daddy left!" exclaimed Alexandra. "Why would he do that?"

"Because Zandra… he didn't want to say with them any more… their mother, your aunt, is having a rough time and can't support them right now, so they're coming from Haven in a few weeks to stay at the manor with us."

Try as she might, Alexandra could not wrap her head around the idea that children like that could not have a mother and a father that would support them. She could not imagine not having her father or mother around all the time; not knowing if they would be back. The thought terrified her. In the following weeks to come, Alexandra asked Artemis and Holly repeatedly if they ever thought about leaving. Their reply was always the same.

"Absolutely not I love you and Casey and Quin too much to ever even think about doing that! I can't imagine life without you!" They gave this answer until Alexandra was thoroughly convinced that neither Artemis nor Holly was going anywhere anytime soon.

Below and Thirteen Nih entered the manor, scared and angry at their mother for giving them up so easily. Alexandra regarded them from a safe distance, introducing herself and her sister and brother when necessary. They had a walking dead look about them; a glassy, vacant look in their eyes. Skin as white as dead, dark rings under their eyes. Below had the same raven hair as Alexandra and Casey, and ocean blue eyes that you would have sworn were colour contacts from far away, as well a pointed ears.

Thirteen, even though she was only 7, had her spiky hair dyed a reddish-orange colour that caught the sunlight from every angle. She had grey, almost white eyes that gleamed at you even in the dark. Nothing seemed to faze them, nothing seemed to catch them by surprise. Alexandra thought they had look of dead fish, as if someone had mesmerized from the day they were born.

The only thing that did leave them slightly shocked was the telephone in their room. Alexandra couldn't believe it: they had never seen a telephone before in their lives.

"What's this?" Thirteen had said, picking it up from its cradle and flipping it over.

"It's a phone," said Alexandra, wondering why they would not recognize it.

A look washed over Thirteen's face and she started to turn it around in her hands as if she were looking for something. Alexandra gave her an odd look, "What are you doing?" she asked.

Thirteen squinted, "Looking for the HSD…"

"The what?" exclaimed Alexandra.

Thirteen looked at her like she had just asked why the sun was so hot, "You know, the HSD…" Alexandra shook her head, "The holographic submitter doc…" she ventured.

Alexandra's face was still blank.

"You know, like the thing that lets you see other people… but sort of like 3D…" Thirteen was doing a very poor job of explaining fairy science.

"Oh…" said Alexandra, "We don't have that on our phones…"

Thirteen flipped her bangs and sniffed, "Oh yes… inferior human technology…" and she sighed and walked back over to Artemis and Below.

And suddenly Alexandra began liking Thirteen and Below a lot.


End file.
